This invention relates to a device for folding shirts with a substantially oblong stiffening panel and also to the combination of a shirt and stiffening panel which provides that when the shirt is folded together with the stiffening panel, the shirt is ready for sale.
Heretofore, shirts have been folded over sidewise several times upon their backside on a stiffening panel and the folded shirt is locked in its folded position by a multiplicity of pins, whereby a large part of the pins serve as a direct connection between the shirt and the stiffening panel.
The method of folding over and fastening of a shirt unto a stiffening panel is not only very cumbersome, time consuming and therefore expensive, but has also the disadvantage that the purchaser or consumer -- in case he overlooks one of the many pins -- either tears the shirt at that spot when he unfolds it or he might hurt himself.
In order to overcome the disadvantages of these known arrangements, the present invention provides a slit in a stiffening panel, the slit being disposed along the longitudinal median line of the stiffening panel. The slit is adapted to have inserted therein a sleeve and serves to clampingly fasten the sleeve.
A stiffening panel made according to the present invention permits folding of a shirt where pins are no longer required to fasten the shirt unto the stiffening panel. The stiffening panel includes a substantially T-shaped projection provided for in an extension of the present invention, such projection being connected to the stiffening panel and being arranged to be inserted or tucked underneath the collar of the shirt in order to stiffen the collar.
The desired objective is effected substantially by a double connection, free of pins, between the shirt and the stiffening panel, once by the connection of the stiffening panel with the shirt collar by means of collar stiffening strips at the upper projection of the stiffening panel and also by the slit in the stiffening panel through which the sleeve is pulled rearwardly after partially surrounding the stiffening panel.
In a particularly advantageous manner the shirt, ready for sale and folded as described above, is obtained by providing that the sleeve of a first side strip of the shirt is folded around a first lateral edge of the stiffening panel and is pulled around the second lateral edge of the stiffening panel and pulled from the rear through the slit, whereby the slit is only formed as a cut or slit in order that the slit really clamps the shirt when the panel springs back into a flat position. The second sleeve is folded back approximately V-shaped lying upon the backside, its cuff being laid around the second lateral edge forwardly upon the front of the shirt. The lower rim strip of the upwardly folded lower part of the shirt is folded or tucked between the folded-over sleeves. The sleeves may be fastened together in the area of the upper arms and the stiffening panel. The stiffening panel is shorter than the half length of the shirt.
Other features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described in relationship to specific embodiments, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.